Electric headlight-lamp.



No. 630,475. Patented Aug. 8, I899.

' n. P. WELLMAN.

ELEGTRIO HEADLIGHT LAMP.

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Patented Aug 8, I899. H. P. WELLMAN.

ELECTRIC HEADLIGHT LAMP.

(Application filed May 6, 1899.)

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.No. 630,475. Patented Aug. 8, I899.- H. P. WELLMAN. 1

ELECTRIC HEADLIGHT LAMP.

(Application filed Kay 6, 1889.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE.

HARLAN P. WELLMAN, OF ASHLAND, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC HEADLIG HT-LAM P SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,475, dated August 8, 1899. Application filed May 6, 1899. Serial No. 715,795. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARLAN P. WELLMAN, of Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Headlight- Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to electric headlightlamps for electric-railway cars, having reference to such as are operated by and connected to the power-circuit. V

The primary object of the invention is to provide a changeable headlight-lamp which may be operated by and connected to the power-circuit of an electric-railway car without the annoyance and encumbrance of connecting wires and plugs, as commonly employed.

A further object is to provide a removable headlight-lamp capable of being removed in such manner that no injury will be caused to the lamp or contact-terminals in the event that the main-line-circuit switch is not first opened. This I accomplish by breaking contact first at the negative terminal and then at the positive terminal.

The invention also comprehends improvements in the construction and arrangement of various details, all as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partly in section and with parts broken away, showing a lamp in which my improvements are embodied. Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views of the automatic circuit-closers with the coactin g lamp-terminals in side elevation. The form shown in Fig. 3 is a modification of that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the casing in which the resistance is located, the lid or door being raised and broken away- Fig. 5 isa planview showing the lamp-casing partly removed from its support. Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and front elevations, respectively, of a slight modification. Fig. 8 is a side view embodying the arrangement contemplated by the construction in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 9 is a side elevation ,and2.

showing the chamber for the circuit-closers vertically disposed and with the lamp-casing resting thereon.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a casing which projects through an opening in and is rigidly secured to the car-dash a, or it may be the front end of a car or vestibule thereof. This casing is provided with a door a, which may be held when closed bya springcatch 0. Within the casing is located a suitable resistance B, composed, preferably, of wires having a high specific resistance to the passage of an electric current. Also within this casing is a fuse and block therefor (indicated at b, -Fig. 4) and two terminals consisting of circuit-closers 1 and 2, located within cylindrical portions 1), which are open at the forward ends save when covered by a hinged cap 12 The circuit-closer 1 is automatic and is of the end-contact-follower style. The circuit-closer 2 is fixed. In Fig. 2 I have shown a stationary terminal 3 and a movable plunger 4., normally held away from the former by a coiled spring 5. These parts are located within a bushing 6 of porcelain or the like. In Fig. 3 the plunger 4. has its stem passed through an opening in the terminal 3.

C is the lamp-casing, d the reflector therein, and 7 and 8 the negative and positive ter- -minals, respectively, of the lamp-circuit.

These terminals may have a spring-held projection 9, as shown in Fig. 2, or this projection may be rigid, as shown in Fig. 3. They are designed to engage the circuit-closers 1 By using the terminal with the springheld projection no bufier is required to receive the blow when the lamp is being positioned, the projection 9 serving the same purpose. To the rear wall of the lamp-casing is pivoted a right-angular bracket D, carrying at its outer end a pin (1 for entering an apertured ear d projecting from the casing A. The vertical arm of this bracket is normally held against the wall of the lamp-casing by a spring d encompassing a bolt d carried by said arm and extended through a hole in the lampcasing. The placing of the bracket D in engagement with casing A allows the projecting terminals 7 and 8 to automatically contact with the movable spring-held plunger of the circuit-closer 1 and the fixed circuit-closer 2,

thereby connecting the lamp-circuit autoand a support for the lamp pivotedto the lat cuit-closers in contact when the lamp is in its; In removing the lamp operative position. current should be broken first at the negative terminal and then at the positivetermi-i nal, thereby avoiding any destruction or deterioration at the positive contacts should the lamp be removed'without first opening :the

main headlight line-switch X.

In Fig. Sis shown an automatic positiveend contact-closer e, located in the casing E, bolted or otherwise secured to the car or cardash. in this arrangement an external resistance 10 is included in the circuit, andthe lamp-bracket 12 is shown as being hung on the car-dash. The negative terminal of'the lamp makes contact with the lug 6, Figs. 6 and 7 o'fthe casing E, and the latter is grounded. "In the front wall of the casing A are formed openings to allow of the escape of heat generated by the resistance-coils.

v In Fig.0 I have shown the chamber F,1in

which the circuit-closers are located, as being vertically disposed, with the lamp-casing f; restingdirectly thereon. The chamber F is? here-shown as projecting from and parallelingthe casing A; butI do not restrict myself to this combination, asthe'san e arrangement may be observed when casing'E is'emp'loyed.

The operation is as follows: The motorman bypositionin g the lamp ca'sing automatically connects the lamp-circuit withthetrolley 1ine-" circuit. In removing the lamp the moto'rman tilts it-on the pivot of the bracket D so that the bottom will be thrown forward 'in*overcoming thetensionofthe spring 01 andthen. the lamp may be lifted out of position. In removingth'e lamp the negative terminal'is first disconnectedand then the positive terminal, for the reason and with the advantage hereinbefore recited.

Changes maybe made in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts Wltl1Ol1lJ'd6-.

parting from the scope and spirit of 'my invention. I

I claim as my in'vention 1. The combination'with a casing mounted on a car and having positive and negative circuit closers, and a resistance intermediate the'latter and the trolley-wire circuit, of a lain-pand its casing havingprojecting terminals for contacting With the circuit-closers,

one terminal and its coacting circuit-closer having a-following contact, the otherterminal havinga fixed contact with its 'coacting circui-t clos'er, as set forth.

2. The combination with a casing mounted onia car and having positive 'and'negative circuit-closers;and a resistance intermediatethe latter andthe trolley-wire circuit, of a lamp and its casing, terminals projectingfrom such casing'for contacting with the circuit-closers,

ter'near the top thereof, one terminal and 1ts coacting circuit-closer having a following contact, the other terminal having a fixed contact with its coacting circuit-closer, whereby in removing said lamp the negative terminal may be first disengaged, as set forth.

3. The combination with the casing mounted on a car, a resistance located within such casing, and a fixed contact and a followercontact, of a lamp having projecting termi= nalsdesi-g-ned to engage suc'h contacts, and a bracket by which said lamp is suspended in position, as set forth.

4. The combination with the casing mounted on a car, a resistance located within su'ch" casing, an automatic yielding contact also mounted in such casing, and "a fixed contact, of a lamp-casing havingprojecti'ngterminals designed to en gage said contacts, a supporting-bracket pivoted to'said lamp-casing,-and a springfor normally holding'the bracket in fixedrelationto the lamp-casing, assetforth.

5. The combination'with the casing mounted on a car, a resistance located within'su'ch casing, an automatic yielding contact also mounted in such casing,andafixedcontact, of a :lamp-casinghav'in g 'proj ecti-ngte'rmi nals designed to engage such contacts, asupporting-Ibracket of right-angular form,piv'oted to the lamp-casing, a .projectiom-carried by the bracket, extended through an opening inthe lamp-ca'sing,'and a spring encirclingsuchiproj'ection tending :to 'no1"mally'hold'the bracket in fixed relation to thelamp=casing,as set forth. p I

6. The combination withthecasingyof the automatic, spring-actuated contact, and a fixed contact, inthe casing, and the lamp havingfprojecting terminals for-engaging such contacts, as set forth.

7. The combination with the 'casing,--andthe resistance, of the automatic, spring-actuated contact and fixed contact-mountedinthe Gasin g, and the'lamp having projecting terminals for engaging such contacts, asset forth.

S. The combinationwith the casing having open-ended chambers, and a resistance, of the terminals mounted in such chambers, on'e'being fixed and the'other having a plunger, a spring acting on such plungenanda-lamp havingprojecting terminals designed to engage thebefore-mentioned terminals,substantially as set forth. I p

9. The combin'ationwith the-casing having open-ended chambers, of the fixed contact, andth'e'spring actuatedcontact i'n'such'chambers, andthe lamp casi'ng h'avingprojec'ting terminals designed to engage said contacts, one of said terminals being spring-pressed, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with an electric-railway car and the dash havingan opening therein, of a casingprojected through such opening, resistance'ma'terial within. the casing, a fixed contact and an automatic yielding contact within the casing, and alamp having pro- In testimony whereof I have signed this jecting terminals for engaging such contacts, specification in the presence of two subscrib- 10 substantially as set forth. ing witnesses.

11. The combination with the casing, of the fixed and automatic folloWer-contacts,1nount- HARLAN WELLMAN' ed in such casing, and the lamp-casing hav- Witnesses: ing yielding and positive terminals for en- R. L. RICHARDSON,

gaging such contacts; as set forth. OSCAR HENTHORNE; 

